Does admin stand between you and the love for running your business?

If so, you’re not alone. Lots of small business owners are extremely skilled at their trade. Having started their own business though, ‘admin’ tasks often get in the way of their love for it.

It’s common to become despondent when it comes to finance, pricing, writing quotes and so on. While you may be breathing a sigh of relief that it’s not just you, be cautious. There could be danger ahead. It’s common sense, but ‘admin chores’ are not really admin at all. They’re fundamental to the success of your business. Just like a marriage, you must work on your business and make the odd compromise by doing the things you enjoy less.

For an explanation of the 8 management functions of a business, read our recent article: Momentum: The small business growth programme.

Could admin neglect be causing you to lose money?

At ETC we recently worked with a digital designer. I can’t tell you how amazing she was at her day job. So it was a surprise to learn she was losing money. When we got to the root of the issue, we discovered she was undercharging. This was caused by a lack of attention to detail when costing up jobs (find out more about how to price your services here) and demonstrates the importance of getting pricing right.

Time management

You must allocate time for the management functions of your business. Follow these simple steps to do this:

• Diarise the time in your diary, whether this be weekly or monthly (or whatever is appropriate)
• Put all the jobs relating to that function into a folder (in your email or a physical one) to be dealt with at the allocated time.
• When the time arrives, move your way methodically through each task.

By doing this, tasks become much less daunting. Doing them in a ‘job’ lot will save time too — you’ll work through them at pace as you get going. Once complete, this will give a real sense of satisfaction, leaving you to get back to doing what you love — the day job!

My blog on time management will help you review and change your working week for the better.

If you still struggle to find time to allocate, or don’t have the right skills to complete certain tasks, then consider a sub-contractor. A book-keeper or virtual assistant for example will get the job done quicker; those tasks you detest, they love!

If you’re falling out of love with your business, why not get in touch with us for free 2 hour business review? One of our management consultants will come out to your business and identify and explain immediate steps you can take to not only help find the passion again, but set you on a path to focus, develop and grow.